


Sweets

by goodgonebetter



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bakery AU, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2019-11-27 04:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18189695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodgonebetter/pseuds/goodgonebetter
Summary: When his brother died in action, Raleigh Becket lost his way. Three years later he's still picking up the pieces and working at his mother's bakery to pass the time. When Mako Mori walks into the bakery and into his life, he thinks he just might have found his way again. After all, she's probably most definitely his soulmate.Bakery/Neighbors AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note: Raleigh is 21, Mako is 19. I messed with the ages to make it make sense. Also, I work at a bakery so I just had to write this AU. Last thing, I know nothing about the air force or the academy, so it's probably hella inaccurate. whoops.

Raleigh Becket was in awe of his big brother Yancy. To him, Yancy was a hero. He learned everything there was to learn from Yancy and he followed him anywhere and everywhere.

He followed Yancy right into the air force. For all their lives they wanted to be pilots. Well, Yancy wanted to be a pilot and Raleigh wanted to be what Yancy wanted to be. So as soon as Raleigh turned 17, he signed up for the academy and was accepted. Yancy had already been there for years and was on his way to being a full-fledged pilot. He made Raleigh promise to work hard so that they could fly together one day. That made Raleigh work twice as hard as the rest. He got top marks in everything and was headed straight to the top. He even picked a name for their eventual plane together. _Gipsy Danger._ Yancy loved the name and swore that they would get there one day.

 

And then Yancy’s plane crashed.

 

And Raleigh lost his way something bad.

 

He stopped trying, dropped out, and went home. He moved back in with his mother and shut down. Nothing could console him. It felt like a piece of his heart was ripped out when his brother died. He couldn’t sleep without nightmares and he couldn’t eat without breaking down in tears. It broke his mother’s heart and for a while, she lost both of her sons.

 

That was three years ago. Raleigh was still mourning, still in pain. But he was living now, trying to function without his brother. His mother had opened a bakery during that time, and Raleigh started working there part-time to help her out. It was nice, gave him something else to do other than thinking about his brother. 

* * *

 

He certainly wasn’t a natural born baker. In the beginning, there was a lot of mixed up failures, burnt cookies, and lopsided cakes. But his mom was a patient woman and an excellent teacher. Now Raleigh could sling cakes, pies, and cookies with his eyes closed. He mostly worked in the back with his mom and a couple more bakers, while the girls worked the front and dealt with customers. Raleigh wasn’t antisocial, but he wasn’t a people person either, so the back was better for him most days.

He went out more, worked on an online degree, and tried to contribute to society. But it was mostly for his mom, to make her feel like she still had at least one son. Raleigh, on the inside, was just going through the motions and searching for some semblance of stability. 

* * *

 

“Mom, you don’t have to worry, I’ve worked the front before.”

“Yes, but never alone!”

Raleigh and his mother were in the tiny square that was her office, as she grabbed her things. An emergency had popped up and she had to head out of town in the next ten minutes. But the young woman that was supposed to work that afternoon was gone. That left Raleigh and another baker, who would be heading out once the last batch of cupcakes was done. Raleigh wasn’t worried, it was a calm Friday and he knew he could handle the few stragglers that stopped by. His mother, on the other hand, wasn’t convinced. She still worried about him a lot. Like at any moment, he’d go back to that empty shell he used to be.

“Mom, listen. If something goes wrong, I’ll call one of the girls. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind coming in for an hour or two. But I know I can handle it. Go, before you’re late.”

“Only if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

After a bit more coaxing, Raleigh’s mom headed out, leaving Raleigh to hold down the fort. 

* * *

 

It was as easy as he expected, and Raleigh found himself alone by 4:30. Once it started raining down pretty hard, he didn’t expect any more customers before closing at 6. He settled down in the back, making cookie dough to be chilled for the next day.

Just as he was dishing out more oatmeal cookies, the bell to the front door rang. Raleigh cursed under his breath and looked down at himself. His shirt, apron, and jeans were all covered in flour, sugar, dough, and frosting. His mom would kill him if any customer saw him like this. He rushed to her office while yelling out.

“Be right with you!!”

The customer said nothing, so he hoped they’d stay while he threw off his shirt and apron, and pulled on a different shirt, with BECKET BAKERY in bold, pink letters. He rushed to the front and started his spiel.

“Welcome, sorry about that wait-“

When he walked in, he saw that the counter separated him front Marshal Stacker Pentecost. The Superintendent of the Air Force Academy Yancy and Raleigh attended.

“Sir.” Even now, Raleigh reflexively stood at attention. He quickly snapped out of it but noticed the recognition on the other man’s face.

“I know you, don’t I?”

Raleigh didn’t know what to say, he just turned to look at the framed photo of Yancy’s. It hung proudly next to the photo of his father, both in their uniforms. Pentecost followed his eye and let out a sigh.

“Becket. You must be Raleigh. What’s it been, three years?”

“Yes, sir…” He didn’t want to dwell on it, and looked away, only to finally notice who else was in the bakery. She stood behind and to the right of Stacker, holding both their umbrellas. She was an older girl, with a short black bob cut. Wearing a long blue coat and staring down at the ground.

She was beautiful, and Raleigh couldn’t keep his eyes off her. When she finally looked up, she was surprised to see him staring. He smiled to reassure her, and she smiled back.

_Woah. Did my heart just skip a beat?_

Stacker looked between them both, then cleared his throat. Both stood at attention.

“My daughter,” Stacker motioned to the girl “and I have moved here recently, and we’ve heard a lot about your shop. I’m hosting a retirement party in two weeks’ time and I need a two-tier cake, three dozen cupcakes, and a dozen royal icing cookies.  Think you can get the job done?”

Raleigh quickly grabbed an order form, a pad, and paper and started writing down what the Marshal requested.

“Yes sir, not a problem. Just need your information and the specifics of your order.” Pentecost gave him what he needed, and Raleigh gave him the estimated price for all the work. It was nothing to sniff at, but Pentecost didn’t even bat an eye as he paid the deposit for the order and for the delivery fee.

“While you’re here, sir, would you and your daughter like something to take with you? No charge, with this huge order and all.”

Stacker looked back at his daughter, then nodded.

“Pick what you want.”

The girl stepped up towards the case of cookies, but she’d sneak glances at Raleigh from the other side of the glass.

 _Wow._ That was all Raleigh could think when he looked at her.

“That one.” She pointed at a red velvet sandwich cookie, the one with cream cheese frosting in the middle.

“Good choice.” Raleigh grabbed a glove and a square of parchment paper, picked up the cookie, wrapped it and handed it to her. That moment that their fingers touched, he swore that he felt sparks fly. At least, that’s what he planned to tell their grandchildren.

“Thank you.” Her voice was gentle and kind, and it made Raleigh want to listen to her all day.

“It’s the least I could do to welcome you to the neighborhood.” Raleigh’s town was relatively small, and he hoped that it meant they’d see a lot of each other.

She took one bite and let out a surprised sound. She looked at her Raleigh, then at her father.

“It’s so good!”

Raleigh beamed proudly since he had made them himself.

“Good, would hate if it was terrible. Come along Mako.”

She followed him to the door and handed him his umbrella.

“Enjoy! And, um, come back soon?”

As Pentecost ignored him and stepped outside into the rain Mako turned, mouth full of the cookie, and waved at him. He waved back as she left, lifting her umbrella and following her father.

For the first time in a very, very long time, Raleigh felt something. He felt like hopping over the counter, running outside in the rain, and asking Mako out on a date. Or hell, even just to tell her he thought she was gorgeous.

“Mako.” He whispered the name to himself, feeling a spike of warmth through his body. He looked over to the picture of Yancy. His brother was smiling down on him.

“I think I got it bad Yancy.”

He knew his brother was laughing at him from the other side. Raleigh Becket, always the sap. 

* * *

 

Raleigh got home late that night, having checked and double checked the bakery before locking up. He had also stopped at the store to pick up some things for the rest of his weekend since his mother wouldn’t be back until Monday to open the bakery up again. The rain had stopped but the cloudy gray skies told him that it wouldn’t be gone long. When he returned, he found a platter of cookies in the kitchen. The sticky note on top of them told him not to eat them because they were for their new neighbors.

Since when?

Raleigh peeked out the living room window, towards the house that had, to his knowledge, been empty for months. Sure, enough there was a car and a moving van in the driveway. He wondered who was living there, then he remembered that his bedroom door looked right into a bedroom in the house.

A little peek couldn’t hurt, right?

He hurried up the stairs and towards his room, giving a gentle brush to Yancy’s room when he passed by it. When he opened the door, he reminded himself to clean his room because the amount of clothes on the floor is ridiculous. He makes his way to the window and pulls up the blinds. Lucky him, the other window was lit and the blinds are open.

He let out a surprised laugh when he saw who was inside.

Mako was sitting in a chair, legs crossed with a book in her lap. Her hair covered part of her face but he was sure that it was her. He closed the blinds so he wouldn’t get caught staring.

He looked up to the ceiling and chuckled.

“Yancy, you got something to do with this, don’t you?”

He could almost hear Yancy’s laughter. 

* * *

 

The next day Raleigh doesn’t roll out of bed until well afternoon. He peeked through the blinds, just to check, and found that Mako’s blinds were closed too. It was worth a shot.

He threw on some sweats and headed downstairs to make himself some breakfast. Well, lunch, but breakfast to him. Raleigh put together an egg scramble with potatoes, bacon, and cheese. Add some toast and a huge glass of apple juice, and it turned out to be one fine meal. He wondered what Mako liked to eat when she woke up.

He looked over at the cookie platter, wondering if he should deliver it himself. He felt nervous, wondering if Mako would be the one to answer the door. If she’d ask him inside, talk to him, or if she’d shut the door in his face. Then Raleigh thought about Pentecost opening the door and decided to let his mom make the delivery. 

* * *

 

After his big breakfast (lunch) he got to cleaning his room. He let his Spotify play on shuffle as he piled up dirty laundry and organized his stuff. Raleigh liked to stay busy when he was home alone. If he stayed too still for too long, he’d fall deeper into the hole that Yancy left in his life. He filled it temporarily with housework and music.

After his room was spotless and laundry was in the wash, Raleigh moved on to the rest of the house. There wasn’t much cleaning since it was just him and his mom, so it took little over an hour. He still couldn’t make himself go into Yancy’s room, so that was the only room that went untouched.

By the time he finished hanging and folding his laundry, Raleigh was feeling hungry again. A grilled cheese sandwich with some leftover tomato soup held him over as he relaxed on the couch with some books. He had finished one semester of online work and would soon be enrolling in summer courses. Again, his mind wandered to Mako. Was she in school? What was she studying? Did she plan on joining the force too? Raleigh silently hoped not. It wasn’t worth it.

He studied until dark, going through his mechanical engineering book. Finally, he turned on a movie for background noise and headed to the kitchen to make some dinner. He took some leftover chicken and made tacos, making some Spanish rice to go with it. He washed it down with a beer while he watched the rest of the movie. The one about the mute woman and the fish man, one of his favorites. He wondered what kind of movies Mako liked? Would she mind sitting on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket, watching something with him?

Raleigh really hoped he wasn’t the only one this hopeless. 

* * *

 

Sunday passed pretty much the same, with Raleigh staying busy and thinking about Mako. On Monday he got to work in the middle of the morning, and though it was raining again he still felt warm and happy. His mom had him on cupcakes that day, so he baked and decorated to his heart's content. The girls working all complimented him on the black and blue frosting flowers.

The day passed by slowly with a few rushes slipped between long spans of empty.

Raleigh jumped a little when one of the front girls tapped him on the shoulder and whispered.

“Someone’s asking for you.”

Even though she was quiet, that got everyone’s attention. Most notably that of his mother, who watched him as he dusted the flour off his apron and walked to the front, but he tried to ignore it.

When he reached the front, the biggest smile crossed his face. Mako was standing there, smiling right back at him. She was in that same blue coat, though this time her hair was pushed back with a black headband.

“Hi, you asked to see me?”

Raleigh swore that he saw a tiny blush cross her cheeks when she looked down and nodded.

“I wondered if you had more of those sandwich cookies, that’s all.”

Raleigh wasn’t so sure. If she just wanted some cookies, she could have asked anyone. They looked over at the case where the cookies obviously were. What Raleigh didn’t notice were the girls and his mother watching both of them.

“We do. But I didn’t make them this time. I’m sure they’ll taste the same though, how many can I get you?”

“Oh, well… Actually, I changed my mind.”

Raleigh raised his eyebrow. “Really?”

Mako nodded, taking a step forward and standing tall. She was obviously a confident one, and Raleigh fell even harder.

“I want to try something else.”

“Okay, how about this,” Raleigh looked around at the many cases of sweets, looking for something he made. Finally, he settled on a marble cupcake, with black and blue flowers. When he held it up Mako gasped.

“You made this?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ll take it.”

Raleigh was going to (reluctantly) ring her up, then his mother stepped in.

“This ones on the house, dear, don’t worry.”

Raleigh smiled and nodded, handing Mako the cupcake. She graciously accepted it.

“Thank you so much.”

“Raleigh, you should be on break. Why don’t you go sit down, eat something?”

Raleigh had just taken a break less than an hour again, but he wasn’t about to protest. Mako smiled at that.

“Sit with me?” 

* * *

 

Mako ate the cupcake happily, looking perfect in the bakeries custom white chairs. Her umbrella leaned on her side and her bookbag was on her lap. Raleigh could see the top of a book but couldn’t make out the title. He decided to try and make conversation.

“You don’t have class or anything right now?” Mako licked some frosting off lips (a movement that Raleigh watched religiously.) and shook her head.

“I don’t start university until Fall.” Raleigh assumed she meant the closest university to their town, which was less than a half hour away. “Do you go to university too?”

“Uh, sort of? I take some online courses here and there. Eventually, I want to get a mechanical engineering degree, do something in construction.”

Mako excitedly pulled the book from her bag, it was the same one Raleigh was working through at home.

“Me too!”

“Small world, huh? So, did you come here to study?”

Mako nodded.

“The house is really quiet when my dad isn’t home, and my younger brother is still away at school. I thought I’d come here and…well, eat something sweet.”

“You sure you didn’t come in to see this old man?” Raleigh leaned in, making a face that made Mako laugh.

“You’re not old…right?”

Raleigh chuckled and reassured her that he was only 21 one. Older, sure, but not old.

“I might have been hoping that you would be here. You were very sweet to me the other day. It was… nice. I’m glad that I did, this is so good!” She finished up the cupcake while Raleigh beamed with pride. He wanted to say something sappy, like how he’d gladly make her anything she wanted.

“I’m glad you came, really.”

They both smiled those shy, young ‘is this something’ smiles.

“I’ve got to get back to work, but stay as long as you want. If you’d like, I can drive you home after my shift.”

“I’d like that.” 

* * *

 

Raleigh had to try so hard to stay focused when Mako was just one room away, waiting for _him._ He’d peek in from time to time to find her reading, taking notes, and occasionally tapping at her phone.

His mom was pushing him to hurry up and finish his work, so happy that he had found a friend (or something more). He took his time despite her rushing and finished up. After cleaning up his area and discarding his apron, he headed back to the front. Mako had made good progress on her book, but quickly closed it when it walked up to her.

“Ready to go?” 

* * *

 

The drive was peaceful, Mako giving him quick directions to her house. Even though Raleigh knew where it was he let her guide him. It was a quick drive, but Raleigh didn’t want to think about Mako walking alone in the rain. He’d drive her every day just to avoid that.

“Thank you for the ride.”

“Of course, any time really. If you need anything, you can just call or something.”

They happily exchanged numbers before Mako stepped out of the car and headed to her front door. Raleigh pulled out of the driveway of her home and quickly pulled into his own. Mako watched him, very confused as Raleigh stepped out of his car and waved.

“See ya, neighbor!”

Mako ran inside at that, and he watched her go fondly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mako and Raleigh get closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm in love with this AU right now, so here's a new chapter!

**Mako: Are you messing with me?**

Raleigh chuckled at the text as he stepped inside his home. He grabbed an apple from the kitchen before heading upstairs.

**Raleigh: To be fair, you never asked where I lived.**

**Mako: So you’re the one that was spying on me through my window Saturday??**

He’d been spotted? He’d only peeked a few times, honest. Raleigh made it into his room, and went straight for the window, happily chewing on his apple as he did. He lifted up the blinds and found Mako standing in front of her own window and staring at her phone.

**Raleigh: I cannot confirm nor deny this.**

Finally, Mako looked up, shocked to find Raleigh waving at her. She yelled something, but he obviously couldn’t hear her. He just smiled back at her and sent another text.

**Raleigh: Okay, you caught me. But I swear, I’ll only use this power for good. I’m no peeping tom.**

Much to Raleigh’s dismay, Mako closed the blinds to her room. Had he just ruined his shot?

**Mako: You’re a strange one, Raleigh Becket.**

**Raleigh: I prefer the term unique, Mako Pentecost.**

**Mako: Mori.**

**Raleigh: ?**

**Mako: My name is Mako Mori, not Pentecost. I kept my last name when I was adopted.**

**Raleigh: I’m sorry, I didn’t know.**

**Mako: It’s okay : )**

Raleigh drafted a few messages, but none of them seemed right. He wanted to let her know that he liked her, and really wanted to know more about her. While he hopelessly fumbled with his words, Mako called him.

“Hello?”

“Are you going to just stand there all day?” He could hear the amusement in her words and leaned on the window frame.

“Who’s spying on who now?”

“Not spying, just observing.”

Raleigh chuckled, watching the blinds. He could see know that Mako was pulling part of the blinds down to look at him.

“Listen, Mako, I want to ask you something.”

“Yes!”

“Huh?”

“You’re asking me out on a date, aren’t you?”

Raleigh stumbled with his words, then chuckled.

“You read my mind. What about this weekend?”

“I’d like that Raleigh.”

Mako lifted up the blinds again. She was sitting in that chair again, all curled up. She was smiling brightly at him, and Raleigh couldn’t believe his luck.

“Tell me about yourself. I wanna know who Mako Mori is.”

“Hmm, okay. Well, I just turned 19 last month. I was going to join the air force, but changed my mind and took a year off. Now I’m going to start university and get my mechanical engineering degree, but you knew that already.

“I’m originally from Japan, but after my parents passed away, I was adopted by the Marshal. I was seven years old then. I grew up near the Air Force Academy. I…hm.”

She sounded like she wanted to say more, but hesitated. Raleigh wasn’t about to push her.

“Well, now that my father is no longer Superintendent we decided to move here, so I could live at home while I’m at university. Tell me more about yourself, Raleigh.”

“Wow, where do I begin? Air Force drop out, certified hermit. I basically go to the bakery, back home, repeat. I watch a lot of movies, listen to music, and sleep.”

He chuckled.

“I guess I got pretty boring after Yancy…. Well, you know.”

“It’s normal to mourn. You must have loved your brother a lot.”

She placed her hand on the window and Raleigh did the same.

“Yeah, I do.”

They stayed quiet for a while, watching each other from the window.

“Can I come to visit you at the bakery tomorrow?”

“I’d really like that.” 

* * *

 

True to her word, Mako showed up at the bakery after lunch time. They were a little busier than the day before, so Raleigh didn’t get a chance to greet her. She ordered another cupcake and a glass of rose lemonade and sat down in a corner table with her book and a notebook. Raleigh peeked his head out and whistled to get her attention.

When Mako turned to look at him, he winked and waved at her. She rolled her eyes and waved back, a fond smile dancing on her lips, and he went back to the kitchen with a grin. She ate and worked through her book until Raleigh finally got a break. He sat across from her, setting a hand fist down on the table.

“Well hello there, Miss Mori. Are you enjoying your dessert?”

Mako looked gorgeous today. The rain clouds had receded, but it was still cool outside, so she wore a light green sweater with a black pencil skirt and burgundy tights. Her eyes trailed down from Raleigh’s messy blonde hair to his face, down his arms, and to his hand. She placed her own hand on top of his, looking at him with a soft smile.

“Yes, Mister Becket. It was very delicious.”

Mako’s hand was cold on his, and Raleigh never wanted her to let go. He turned his hand over so he could hold it properly, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Need a ride home today?”

“No, my father is coming to pick me up. We’re having dinner with a friend out of town tonight. General Hercules Hansen, have you heard of him?”

Raleigh nodded, Hansen had been second in command at the Academy.

“He and his son Charles invited us over. His son is about my age, my father thinks it’d be good for us to get to know each other.”

Raleigh didn’t look impressed. He had no idea who this Charles guy was, but he probably wasn’t much to write home about. Mako chuckled at his reaction.

“Don’t be jealous.”

“Jealous? Me? No, I just feel bad for you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, sounds boring. If you went with me, on the other hand, I’m sure we could get into something fun.”

His thumb rubbed her hand in slow circles. The rest of the world had already melted away, leaving them alone together.

“Tempting. But I don’t think my father would be very happy with you stealing me away.”

“Another time then.”

Mako’s phone beeped, reminding them of the rest of the world. Mako reluctantly pulled her hand away to check her phone.

“He’s here. I’ll see you soon.”

“Sure, I’ll walk you out.”

Mako collected her things and they headed to the door. They said their goodbyes and Mako headed towards Pentecost’s car.

Raleigh was walking on air when he went back to work. Today he was on cake duty. He pulled the cakes out of the cooler and started decorating. He stacked three layers of vanilla, using buttercream to glue them together. He took some light blue frosting to cover the outside of the cake, using a spatula to smooth it out.

He’d like to make a cake for Mako, something that she’d really like. He hoped Charles didn’t get any ideas at dinner today.

 _Possessive much?_ He could almost hear Yancy teasing him.

Once the frosting crested up, he used a paper towel to smooth out the surface. Using some frosting with a shell tip, he created a border around the top and bottom of the cake. On top of the cake he created grass, flowers, and butterflies. It was pretty tedious, but it looked amazing once he was down. His mom made sure to take a picture of his work for her website, and he took a picture for himself before it was put in the case. He sent it to Mako, hoping that she’d like it.

 **Mako:** How beautiful! You’re so talented Raleigh!

 **Raleigh:** Aw shucks, you’re going to make me blush. 

* * *

 

After he helped his mother close up the bakery, he took her out for dinner. They decided to get pasta and went to their favorite spot. When his parents first got together, they used to go to this place all the time. When their father passed, Yancy and Raleigh would take their mother out for his birthday every year. Now Raleigh took her out to remember better days.

When his fettuccine arrived, he snapped a picture of it.

 **Raleigh:** Here’s my dinner. How’s yours?

 **Mako:** What a coincidence!

The picture Mako sent was of fettuccine too, though where Raleigh had chicken hers had shrimp. It was already half eaten but still looked yummy. Raleigh dug into his own food before sending a reply.

 **Raleigh:** Looks good, I take it that dinner is going well?

While he waited for Mako to respond, he listened to his mom. She talked about the business, and how well it was going. She told him a story from her book club, and how sweet her friends were. Raleigh was happy that she was so happy. She had lost so much, but still, she persevered.

 **Mako:** Could be worse. They offered me wine, but my father wouldn’t let me have any. : (

 **Raleigh:** Good, you shouldn’t be drinking.

 **Mako:** *eye roll emoji* Not you too.

 **Raleigh:** Just teasing :p

Raleigh and his mom finished up their dinner and decided on some ice cream for dessert. Chocolate, caramel, and whipped cream on top made it that much more delicious. Raleigh sent a picture to Mako, and she replied with a picture of a personal chocolate souffle.

 **Raleigh:** Fancy stuff.

 **Mako:** It tastes weird. We’re having dessert out in the gazebo and it just started raining lol. My father and Hansen refuse to admit defeat and go back inside.

 **Raleigh:** Talk about bad luck. Should have stuck with me, we’d be dry AND eating ice cream.

 **Mako:** I regret everything.

 **Mako:** Chuck just gave me his jacket, I guess he isn’t that bad : )

Raleigh was about to send something like ‘I’d give you a hundred jackets’ when Mako sent another picture. It was a selfie this time. Even though he had just seen her a few hours ago, she took his breath away with her sweet smile. Charles was in the photo too, but Raleigh just put his thumb over his face and showed his mom.

“Oh, she’s such an angel!”

“I’m taking her out this weekend.”

His mother squealed with delight, giving him a big hug. It had been years since Raleigh had even thought about dating, but Mako made it easy. Raleigh took a selfie with his mom and sent it to Mako.

 **Raleigh:** She wants you to have dinner with us soon.

 **Mako:** I’d love to : ) 

* * *

 

They texted on and off throughout the night until Mako stopped responding. Raleigh figured she had fallen asleep and he decided to get some rest himself. He shut off his lights and slipped into bed, staring up at the ceiling.

“Hey Yancy, it’s me. Things have gotten a lot better lately, believe it or not. Mako, she’s just great. I don’t know what it is about her Yance, but she’s like…I don’t know, a drink of cool water in the desert? Something sappy like that. If you sent her…just…”

He sighed, feeling tears well up in his eyes.

“Just thank you.”  

* * *

 

The rest of the week went by smoothly. Raleigh worked, relaxed, and talked to Mako. Conversation flowed well in person or through the phone. Mako would come into the bakery every day, eating sweets and studying. Then he would drive her home and they would talk to each other until she fell asleep. A couple times the Marshal was getting back at the same time and would eye Raleigh down until he went inside. Mako told him that he was just being protective and not to worry about it.

 

“So, where are we going for our first date tomorrow?” Mako was skimming through a book on her chair, and Raleigh was using his laptop to register for online summer classes. They had their phones on speaker and were just enjoying each other’s company.

“That’s a surprise. But make sure you dress for the heat, we’re gonna be outside.”

Since the rainstorms had passed, it had started heating up quickly in their small town. It was going to be another tough Texas summer. Nothing Raleigh wasn’t used to.

“You know, you should get out more.” Mako lifted her head to look at him through the window.

“This from the girl that goes to my mom’s bakery and back every day? You know, I’ve never even seen you walk into your yard.”

“That’s what I’m saying! It would be good for both of us. You know, my little brother Jake and I used to run two miles every morning before we moved. Maybe we should start doing something like that.”

Raleigh gulped. He hadn’t run since he left the academy. He didn’t even want to think about how slow he probably was now.

“Would that make you happy?”

“It would make me very happy.”

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

Mako grinned, excited already.

“Why don’t we start tomorrow morning, before our date?”

Raleigh was about to protest when the door to Mako’s bedroom opened.

“Dinner’s ready” Pentecost’s voice still made Raleigh sit up straight, but he stayed quiet and listened. He couldn’t see him in the window, so he watched Mako watching him.

“Alright, I’ll be down soon.”

A pause, then Pentecost cleared his throat.

“Mako, about that thing tomorrow…”

“My date?”

“Yes, that. Now, that Becket boy…I’m not sure about him.”

Stacker obviously didn’t know Raleigh was on the phone, but neither Mako or Raleigh made a move to hang up.

“Raleigh has been nothing but nice to me.”

“You can’t know someone after a week. I’m just saying, be careful. He practically went AWOL at the academy, and who knows if he’s, well…stable.”

Mako sighed, her eyes flashing over to Raleigh for a split second. Raleigh felt awful like he was somehow unworthy or something.

“You don’t know him. I understand that you’re trying to protect me, but Raleigh is not a bad person. He’s got a good heart and shouldn’t be punished for what he did when he was in mourning.”

Raleigh felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Yancy really did send him an angel. Pentecost didn’t answer for a moment.

“Your dinner is going to get cold.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Stacker sighed, and Raleigh heard the door close. Mako took the phone off the speaker and turned to face him.

“I can’t believe he said that. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s not your fault. I was pretty messed up back then. But thank you for defending me.”

He pressed his hand to the window and she did the same.

“Go get something to eat, and get some rest, okay?”

She smiled and nodded.

“Okay.”

“I’ll see you in the morning, right?”

“Bright and early!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really appreciate the comments and kudos, please keep letting me know what you think about it and any ideas you have for future stories/AUs let me know! New chapter (hopefully) Sunday!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Raleigh cursed his alarm clock when it went off at 7:30 in the morning. His phone went off two minutes later, telling him that Mako was calling.

“I haven’t been up this early in two years.” He rolled out of bed and grabbed some sweats and a cut off shirt.

“You’ll get used to it.” Mako sounded wide awake while Raleigh sounded like he had a sore throat. She reminded him to drink some water and to meet her in the front yard. He changed, went downstairs, drank a big glass of water, and headed out.

Mako was already outside, stretching her legs. She wore tights and a t-shirt tied in the front. She didn’t have to try to look great. He probably looked awful but didn’t want to dwell on it.

“Ready to go?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

They started going down the street at a slow jog, a pace that Raleigh appreciated. When he glanced over to his side, he could see that Mako was in her element. She wasn’t kidding about running every day.

She started picking up the pace and Raleigh struggled to keep up with her. When they reach what Raleigh assumed was the halfway point, they turned around and Mako picked up even more speed. Though he tried, he couldn’t keep going and slowed to a stop a bit away from the house. He waved at her to keep going and bent down to catch his breath. A few seconds passed by before he left a hand on his lower back and another on his shoulder.

“Raleigh, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just not used to it.”

He stood up straight and wrapped an arm around Mako’s shoulder. She kept her hand on his back and they walked back to her front yard.

“Maybe we’ll start with one mile a day.”

Raleigh laughed, ignoring the ache in his side.

“Not as limber as I used to be.”

“Alright old man, sit down.”

They sat down on her porch, arms still around each other.

“You know, I had the fastest mile back at the academy. For like a week until someone else beat me, but it still counts.”

Mako chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder.

“When we lived by the academy, I’d watch the cadets running around the tracks all hours of the day. I started running too, thought maybe I could catch up to them one day. Maybe you were one of those cadets I was running after.”

“Well, you sure caught up to me.”

They enjoyed this closeness for a while longer, before separating. They both needed to shower and get dressed for their date in a few hours.

“When should I be ready?”

“Let’s say noon. We’ve got a little bit of a drive.”

They went inside their homes and Raleigh rushed to his bathroom. He took his time showering, hoping that Mako liked what he had planned for their date. When he stepped out and wrapped a towel around himself, he looked at himself in the mirror. It had only been three years, but he looked so different. More tired now, hair much longer than regulation, and body no longer well-oiled machine. He hadn’t necessarily gained a lot of weight, just lost a lot of muscle. He made a mental to hit the gym every once in a while.

After drying off he decided finished up some chores before getting ready. Then, he took a little bit of a nap. He definitely wasn’t used to getting up early anymore.

After waking up and brushing his teeth again, Raleigh headed to his closet to find something to wear. He found a charcoal cut off shirt and paired it with blue jeans and a blue and black flannel. He combed his hair a silently prayed for it to stay still for once. He put his shoes on, grabbed his keys and wallet and headed downstairs. He had gotten some danishes from the bakery the day before, so they’d have some breakfast for the half-hour drive. Mako sent him a “Ready!” text so he headed towards the door. He sent his mom a text letting her know he’d be gone most of the day.

Mako was waiting for him by his car when he walked out. She wore a grey scoop neck dress that reached her knees. Her bright white shoes matched her headband and the bag on her shoulder. The sun was shining down now and it made her glow.

“Let’s hit the road, Miss Mori.”

They got into the car, and both ate some danishes while Raleigh drove.

“You’re really not going to tell me where we’re going?”

“And spoil the surprise? No way.” 

* * *

 

Raleigh had Mako cover her eyes when they got close. He parked his car in the dusty parking lot and opening the door for her.

“Ready?”

“Yes, I’ve been ready for forty minutes.”

“Okay, okay. You can look.”

She uncovered her eyes and gasped. In front of her stood a fairground, alive and buzzing. It was huge, full of rides, games, food, and fun. Mako seemed so excited that Raleigh knew he made the right choice.

“Let’s get some tickets, yeah?”

Raleigh held his hand out for her and she gladly took it, interlocking their fingers. Raleigh bought a whole bunch of tickets for rides and games and they were off.

They found a strongman game and decided to try it out. Raleigh went first, hitting it as hard as he could. The bell made a satisfying ding and he won a teddy bear. Before he could proudly present it to Mako, she took her turn. She struck the machine and both of them cheered when it dinged. They exchanged teddy bears and kept moving.

They found the milk bottle game next. Raleigh spent a good ten minutes trying to knock over the pyramid, only ever getting on or two to fall. Mako knocked it down with one shot. Now Raleigh was the proud owner of a pink dragon. Raleigh got her back at the dart games, winning her a fairgrounds t-shirt.

After playing a few more games with mixed results and putting their prizes in the car, they got some snacks. A caramel apple, some kettle corn, and two frozen lemonades.

“You really know how to pick first dates, don’t you?” Mako was happy, nibbling away at their food.

“I love this place, I’d thought you’d like it too.”

“I love it! I’ve never been to a fair like this. When I was really little, my parents would take me to festivals in Japan. I miss doing stuff like that. My father just doesn’t have the time and my brother is away at school. He’d love something like this.”

“Yeah, me and Yancy went here when I was 15 I think? It was before he enrolled in the academy. We had a hell of a time.”

Mako offered him a bite of the apple and he took a big bite. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer until their knees were touching.

“I’m really glad we met that day. You make me really happy.” Raleigh confessed. Mako giggled and hid her face in his neck.

“I’m glad too.”

 

After they finished their snacks, they shared some cotton candy and walked around the fairgrounds. It was full of life, with people playing and chattering away. For once, Raleigh felt like he was a part of the world again. Mako wrapped her arm around his as they kept going, leading him around. She was in absolute awe of the place, and Raleigh knew that he made a great choice.

After their food had time to settle, they head the rides. They took the bumper cars for a spin, going full speed and laughing along with the other patrons. Then they went on the drop tower right, and Raleigh held Mako’s hand tight the entire time. After that, they got on the pendulum ride. Mako squealed when they went completely upside down.

After a few more intense rides they found the carousel. Mako sat on a unicorn sideways and Raleigh sat on the horse beside her.

“Alright, alright, smile!”

Raleigh took his phone out and took a picture of Mako smiling from ear to ear. She took a picture of him and they held hands until the ride stopped.

Finally, they got on the Ferris wheel. As it slowly made its way, Mako curled up and Raleigh’s side.

“I don’t want this day to end,” Mako whispered, looking at the sky. The sun was already beginning to set. Where had the time gone?

“Me neither.”

When they reached the very top, Raleigh turned to her.

“Mako, I-“

“Yes.”

“Huh?”

“You’re asking me to be your girlfriend, right?”

Raleigh chuckled.

“You’re good.”

They leaned in and kissed. It was sweet like candy and felt perfect. Raleigh really didn’t want this day to end. 

* * *

 

They left the fairgrounds and got some drive-thru burgers for dinner. After eating, Mako fell asleep on the drive home. Raleigh hummed along to the radio, tapping his fingers on the steering will. Today had been a good day. Mako was sweet, strong, and beautiful in every way. And from the way she talked to him (or looked at him, or touched him) Raleigh could tell that she felt the same way. He thought that no one would ever see him for himself again. Mako not only made him want to be himself, but she was also more than willing to help him.

Raleigh pulled into his driveway and gently woke Mako up. She yawned and stretched, surprised to find that they were home already. He opened the door and helped her out, walking her to her door. The lights were still on, and Raleigh imagined Stacker Pentecost sitting in the living room, staring at the door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?” Raleigh wrapped an arm around Mako and hugged her, and she melted into his arms.

“Goodnight Raleigh.” Mako gave him a sweet kiss before stepping inside.

Raleigh walked back home, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. His mom was already asleep, so he stayed quiet as he headed up the stairs and got ready for bed. He dropped his prizes on his cluttered desk. He stripped down, went to brush his teeth and wash his face, then got under the covers.

He plugged his phone back in, and before setting it on his nightstand he changed his wallpaper to the picture of Mako on the carousel. She looked beautiful illuminated by the bright lights, sitting sideways on the unicorn. Raleigh decided to send her one last text.

**Raleigh: Tonight was great, let’s go out again soon.**

**Mako: Definitely, I miss it already. Goodnight**

**Raleigh: Goodnight, sweetness.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter might take a little long, but I'm hoping to make it longer than these past few!


	4. Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's a party without a little fist fight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a little bit longer than expected, sorry about the wait! Let me know what you think!

Raleigh woke up to his alarm again and got ready. He and Mako took it slow when they started running, and he tried his best to keep up with her. After he went home and showered he looked up some gyms that were close by. The idea of exercising was beginning to excite him again, like when he was young. He and Yancy used to run, lift, and spar together pretty much every day, and it had been the highlight of most of his life.

Mako had invited him over for lunch, so he headed over to her house right at noon. She happily let him in and led him inside. She looked so cute, just wearing some joggers and a t-shirt. The house was sparsely decorated, with some boxes still not unpacked. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, setting his head on her shoulder.

“I missed you.” He whispered like it was a secret between them.

“I saw you four hours ago.” There was a laugh in her voice. She placed her hands on his arms, leaning into his touch.

“Still missed you. Need any help with lunch?”

She shook her head and walked him into the kitchen, where lunch was already waiting.

“I hope you like chicken tacos and rice.”

“I happen to love chicken tacos and rice, thank you very much.”

Raleigh gave her a big kiss before pulling out her chair for her. He sat down in his own chair and they enjoyed their lunch.

“So, what’s the plan for today?”

“I was thinking of going dress shopping. I need something new for the retirement party.”

“Right, I almost forgot. We’re gonna have fun with that order at the bakery.”

“Will you be the one delivering it?”

“Nah, I’ll just help with decorating.”

“So, why don’t you come to the party? You can be my plus one!”

Raleigh hesitated. A party full of air force men and woman? Probably not the best place for him.

“I don’t know Mako. Parties like that, they’re not really my thing. I don’t clean up well.”

Mako didn’t push, she understood the hesitation. As they were clearing the table, Mako’s phone went off. When she checked it, she sighed and responded to the text quickly.

“Who’s that?”

“Just Chuck.”

“Oh, so it’s Chuck now? What happened to _Charles?”_ Raleigh teased, poking her side. Mako rolled her eyes.

“He’s going to university with me in the fall, and now he seems hellbent on us being friends. Well, maybe more than friends, I can’t tell.”

Raleigh wasn’t jealous. He definitely wasn’t jealous.

“Are they going to be at the party?”

“Of course, General Hansen is the guest of honor.”

Okay, maybe he was a little jealous.

“You know, I’d hate leaving you all alone at that party. My mom is always saying I need to socialize more.”

Mako cheered, wrapping Raleigh up in a hug. He picked her up in his arms and set her up on the kitchen island. He rested between her legs, arms on either side of her. Mako set her arms up on his shoulders, and they looked in each other’s eyes.

“You’re a glass of cold water in the desert, you know that?”

“Alright Texas boy, I don’t even know that means.”

Raleigh chuckled and kissed her again. And again. And again.

**

As the party came closer, Raleigh started to get a little nervous. He hadn’t been to any kind of gathering since Raleigh’s wake. The image of his brother’s closed casket will forever be burned into his brain. The idea of being around so many people made his anxiety rise up like it hadn’t in a long time. But he made a promise to Mako and he wasn’t about to back out now.

His mom was so excited when he told her about it, and told him to try on his suit immediately, in case she needed to tailor it. Raleigh was devasted to find that it didn’t fit. He wanted to look good, not like his life had gone so severely downhill. Still, he couldn’t afford a new suit right now. But his mom didn’t seem deterred. She went upstairs and came back to the living room with a crème colored suit. Raleigh recognized it immediately. That was Yancy’s suit.

“No, mom. No.”

“It’s either these or one of your father’s.” She took the protective plastic covering off the suit and started laying it out.

“But-“

“Raleigh, sweetheart, I know. This is Yancy’s, and it hurts. He should be here, with us. He should be the one giving you this, handing it down.” She placed a hand on his cheek, looking up at her only living son. “What would he think of us keeping all his things the same and never going into his room? At least try it on, please?”

Raleigh wanted to protest more, tell her no and storm up to his room. But he couldn’t do that too his mom, not after all that she had been through. He finally agreed and started putting on the pieces of the suit.

It fit him perfectly, and that hurt a little bit more. No matter how much he looked like Yancy, acted like Yancy, he could never be his brother. Both Raleigh and his mother had tears in their eyes.

“He would want you to have it.”

And for a moment, he thought she was right.

**

The bakery was in full swing on the day of the party. Raleigh decorated the cupcakes, and his mother was taking care of the cake. It had taken them hours to it all done, but they did it with plenty of time to spare. As soon as he was finished, he rushed home to shower and get dressed. Mako said that she would wait for him since Pentecost had left early to make sure everything was ready for the party.

Once he was dressed and looking way more presentable, he headed over to Mako’s house. He thought about getting some flowers too but decided to wait for another day. Maybe for their next date.

When Mako answered the door Raleigh’s jaw dropped. She looked stunning in a vintage blue dress with a white sweater draped over her shoulders.

“Wow.” Raleigh couldn’t only muster up a single word as he looked in awe.

“Wow yourself. You clean up very well, Mr. Becket.”

They kissed, and Raleigh could vaguely taste vanilla flavored lip gloss. He led her to his car and she gave him directions to the party. It was a huge banquet hall with many cars parked outside. But with Mako at his side, arm wrapped around his own, Raleigh didn’t feel nervous anymore.

 

That is, until they walked inside.

 

The huge doors opened to a brilliantly lit hall. The way it was decorated was almost royally decadent. Everyone was dressed wonderfully as well. A band played on a stage on the other side of the huge room, filling the space with happy music.

Mako led him further into the room, past the long tables full of food and drinks. On one of the tables, Raleigh spotted the cakes, cupcakes, and cookies that he had worked on just a few hours ago. He hoped to get a picture before people started digging into it.

Marshal Pentecost met them halfway, giving Mako a happy hug. He gave Raleigh a once over and nodded his head.

“You clean up nice, Becket.”

Raleigh couldn’t tell by his tone if he was being serious or not, but he thanked the man anyways. The Marshal was busy greeting and conversing with other people and the couple moved on. Mako was showing him the decorations that she picked out when a voice to the right of him caught his attention.

“Yancy?”

The voice, with a strong Australian accent, sounds confused and happy. Raleigh and Mako both turn to look and are faced with General Hercules Hansen. Behind him was his son, watching with confusion. Raleigh stuttered for a second, at a loss for words in the worst way. People used to get them mixed up, but not anymore. The General stepped closer to them and quickly realized his mistake.

“I’m so sorry, you look like someone I knew…”

Mako swooped in to save him because Raleigh was too choked up to speak.

“General, this is Raleigh Becket.”

Hercules smiled again, finally recognizing Raleigh for who he was. He took his hand and shook it, laying a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Raleigh, of course! I’m so sorry about that. You look just like… well. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

Not since Yancy’s funeral. Raleigh finally caught his breath and smiled too.

“General. It’s good to see you too. Congratulations on your retirement.”

“Thank you, really. Now to try not and go crazy with all this free time I have.”

Hercules let go of Raleigh and motioned for his son to come closer. Chuck Hansen looked rather unimpressed with the whole thing but came forward. He greeted Mako and only shook Raleigh’s hand because his father told him to.

“This is my son, Chuck. Chuck this is Raleigh Becket, he used to be one of my boys at the academy.”

“Another one of your golden boys, is he?” Chuck’s tone was sarcastic, and he rolled his eyes. But Hercules seemed used to it and kept chatting away. He asked Raleigh how he had been doing, and Raleigh assured him his was fine and focusing on a degree in engineering.

“Good, I wish you the best of luck.” Hercules then turned to Mako, wrapping her up in a big hug. Mako returned it happily.

“Always good to see you, little miss Mori.” Then he looked between the two of them.

“How do you two know each other?”

“Raleigh is my boyfriend,” Mako said it so easily, it made Raleigh stand a little taller. Hercules and Chuck looked surprised, but Hercules was happy. Chuck scoffed and walked away, grabbing a drink on his way. Raleigh smiled as Mako took his hand again.

They had their fill of finger foods, drinks, and desserts while they mixed and mingled with all the guests. Mako knew most of them at least a little and chatted politely as they went. Raleigh vaguely knew some of them, mostly students from the academy. They talked too, carefully keeping Yancy out of the conversation. But he still lingered, like a ghost on his shoulder.

Raleigh wondered how Yancy would be at a party like this. He’d probably be a distinguished pilot with many accolades under his belt. He’d be the life of the party, the natural charmer that he had been. Raleigh used to be envious of how easy it was for Yancy socialize, now he just wished he had been paying more attention.

Mako didn’t seem to mind, staying by his side the whole time. When they weren’t talking to others, they whispered to themselves, attempting to make each other laugh. She even convinced him to dance a little, though he was way more than just a little rusty. The entire time he was worried about stepping on her feet.

A couple of hours into the party Mako walked off to talk to her father, leaving Raleigh by the dessert table. He turned and bumped right into Chuck Hansen. Chuck looked angrier and drunker than when Raleigh had first seen him. He finished off another glass of wine and smacked his lips, looking Raleigh up and down.

“My father wasted his life teaching dropouts like you. And all he got was this stupid party and an old house to die in.” Chuck’s speech was slurred and Raleigh couldn’t help but feel bad.

“He used to talk about your brother like he was a god or something. I met him once.”

“Maybe you should take a walk, get some fresh air.”

Mako came back, getting between the two of them.

“Let’s go Raleigh.”

She was about to pull him away when Chuck took another step, stumbling a bit and dropping his glass. It broke but Chuck didn’t care, stepping right on the pieces.

“Yancy Becket was a nobody.”

Mako tried to stop him, but Raleigh sidestepped her to face him. He could feel the glass break under his shoes.

“Keep his name out of your mouth and just walk away.”

Chuck laughed, only gaining more confidence and his voice got even louder. Some of the other partygoers took notice and stared.

“Am I supposed to be afraid of an air force dropout?”

Raleigh kept his cool, just like Yancy had taught him. Mako watched at Raleigh’s side, looking for an opening to get him out of there.

“You little golden boys are all the same. Show up and show out until the going gets tough. Let’s face it: You wouldn’t have made it even if your brother hadn’t gone down in that plane.”

Chuck was in his face and his words were covered in poison. Raleigh wanted to put his hands on him so badly, but he knew that he couldn’t. At least not first.

“Tough talk for a kid with daddy issues.”

That infuriated Chuck, and he gave Raleigh a shove. Mako got between them again.

“Chuck, please stop this.”

“Get out of my face, I don’t need some sad orphan teaching me anything.”

Chuck went to grab her but Raleigh got to him first, shoving him so hard that the drunk man falls to the ground. He got in front of Mako.

“Apologize to her.”

“What?” Chuck recovered quickly, getting up and throwing a punch at Raleigh. It got him in the jaw but Raleigh threw a punch of his own and his Chuck in the nose. They lunged and tackled each other, fighting to gang control. Chuck tried to fight him but Raleigh grabbed his arm and twisted it.

“Say what you want about me, but don’t you ever disrespect Mako again. Apologize to her, now.”

“Get off me you bastard.” Chuck flipped them around and they kept fighting until Stacker Pentecost’s voice broke them up.

“Get off the ground!”

Both men obeyed, though Chuck had trouble standing up. Mako pulled Raleigh to his side, checking him for bruises and cuts. Hercules cut through the crowd, going up to his son. Chuck stepped away as his father came closer.

“What’s all this about.”

“He started it.” Chuck pointed to Raleigh. Raleigh wasn’t about to deny it, but Mako stood up to defend him.

“That isn’t true and you know it. How dare you disrespect him and-“

“Mako. That’s enough.” Pentecost silenced her, physically pulling her away from Raleigh. He stared Raleigh down until he looked away.

“I knew that there was something about you I didn’t like. You’ll stay away from my daughter from now on.”

“Dad, you can’t!”

“It’s final. Get out, before I call someone to get you out.”

Raleigh didn’t protest. He was ashamed of himself for proving all the bad things that Chuck and Pentecost believed were true about him. He walked through the crowd and stepped outside, feeling the cold night air on his face. He touched his face and felt a bruise beginning to form, and some blood dripping from his lip. He wanted to start walking to his car, to call it a night, but he couldn’t.

He had just ruined his chances with Mako. Mako, the only one that treated him like a real person, that understood him and his mourning. He might never speak to her again and it hurt more than any injury.

Raleigh jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He hadn’t even heard Hercules approach him.

“Stacker’s a good man, just a little overprotective. That girl is so important to him, has been since he saved her.”

“Saved her?”

“Her parents were in a nasty car accident. Stacker was a few cars away when it happened and he ran in to help. Pulled her out of that car just moments before it blew. She’s been his daughter ever since really.”

Raleigh felt even more guilt, as he had never even asked Mako about her parents.

“What I’m saying is don’t take it personally. Knowing him, he was looking for a reason to get you two apart.”

“Sorry about your party. And your kid.”

“My party is fine and I’m sure my kid deserved it. I’ll talk to him, but you shouldn’t worry about it. Get some rest.” And Hercules headed back inside. Raleigh headed to his car and sat on top of the hood. He didn’t want to leave without saying something to Mako.

Mako came storming out of the building, fists clenched and steps harsh. She walked right up to Raleigh’s car and looked at him with tears in her eyes. Raleigh stood up quickly and she hugged him. He held her as Stacker came walking out of the building.

“Mako, come back here!”

Mako turned back to him, holding her ground.

“You cannot keep me locked away in my room! You think that you’re protecting me but really you’re just isolating me. Raleigh is not this bad person that you want him to be. He was defending himself, and he was defending me! Why can’t you understand that? Why can’t you trust my judgment?”

“You aren’t the one that I don’t trust.”

“Oh, enough. I’ll talk to you when you are ready to actually talk. Let’s go Raleigh.”

She walked to the passenger side and got in, strapping in her seatbelt and folding her arms. Raleigh got in and started the car, not looking at Pentecost as he drove out of the parking lot.

**

They were silent on the drive home until Raleigh pulled into his driveway. His mother was away for a trip, so the house was dark and quiet. They unbuckled their seatbelts and just sat in the car.

“Mako, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t you apologize to me, Raleigh Becket. You should be the one getting an apology. From Chuck and from my father.”

Raleigh sighed, leaning back in his seat.

“But your dad is right. After my brother died, I just lost it. I got into fights, my grades went to shit, and when they gave me a second chance I ran back home. I’ve been hiding all this time, doing next to nothing with my life. I can’t even keep it together long enough to have a good night with you. I embarrassed you. Your dad thinks you deserve someone better than me, and maybe he’s right.”

Mako stayed silent, staring at him in the dark car. She leaned over to him, pressing a hand on his cheek.

“Your brother passed. It was sudden and painful and it hurt you so badly. Even now I can see how much you love him. I don’t care what you did back then, I’m just happy that you’re here now. From the moment I saw you in that bakery I knew that I wanted to know more about you.”

Raleigh turned to her, leaning into her touch. He didn’t realize that he was crying until she wiped his tears away. She was crying too but continued.

“When we first talked, I knew that I liked you. The first time we touched, I knew that I wanted to be with you. You didn’t embarrass me. You proved that you cared about me just as much as I care about you. That’s enough for me.”

Raleigh hugged her tight and she held him just as tight.

“I’m so happy that I found you, Mako.”

“And I’m so glad I found you too.”

**

Raleigh meant to take her home, but they realized that Mako had left her purse, and her house keys, back at the party. They decided that she would stay the night and just talk to the Marshal in the morning rather than calling him to bring her the keys.

Raleigh led her inside and turned the lights on. He gave her a mini-tour of the place, ending up at his room.

“I’ll get you some clothes, so you’ll be comfy while you sleep.”

He dug around in his closet for some clothes while she looked around his room. His desk was cluttered with school work, drawings and photographs. She picked up a photo of Raleigh and Yancy from a long time ago, both riding horses. Raleigh was decked out in a cowboy outfit, from his boots to his hat. She found another outfit of Raleigh and Yancy, dressed in pilot Halloween costumes. There were so many photographs, some hanging up on the wall. One was on Raleigh in a Christmas sweater, with tinsel tangled up in his wild hair. Mako loving touched his smiling face in the photo.

“My parents were a little camera crazy.”

“I can see why. You’re quite the model.”

They chuckled and Raleigh wrapped her up in a hug, handing off a shirt and some shorts for her to wear.

“I’ll be right back.”

Mako left to change, and Raleigh went ahead and took off his suit and put on his own pajamas. He hung the suit back up in his closet as Mako walked back in. The shirt she was in was about two sizes too big and the shorts were about as tight as they could go. Raleigh watched her walk in and before he could say anything she put a hand up.

“Don’t say anything.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“You were going to laugh!”

“Laughing doesn’t count as saying anything.”

She playfully pushed him away and sat down on his bed. Raleigh thanked his lucky stars that he had washed all his sheets and cleaned his room. He sat down beside her and kissed her cheek. It wasn’t that late, so Raleigh suggested they watch a movie and eat a terrible amount of snacks.

“Only if we can watch that one Spanish movie with the girl and the maze?”

“That one with that weird guy with eyes in his hand? I love that one!”

**

They fell asleep halfway through the movie, Mako curled up in Raleigh’s lap with a blanket over them. Raleigh woke up after the credits started to roll but Mako slept happily. He carefully maneuvered so he could pick her and carry her back to his bed. He had to be careful, worried about waking her up. It was harder trying to put her in bed, but he did his best. When he got into bed, he felt her out of the way.

“You’re not asleep, are you?”

Mako’s giggled.

“I just wanted to see if you’d actually carry me all that way.”

She turned to face him, pulling him closer. Raleigh relaxed in her hold, his face on her neck. She brushed at his hair and held him until he fell asleep. Before he went under he heard her whisper:

“It’s like you were made for me.”

For the first time in a long time, Raleigh dreamt of a future, happy and free with Mako by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working on chapter 5 now! Also, thinking about doing some fic commissions. Comment or message me if interested!


	5. Let's Go Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse of domestic bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ironically, my job at a bakery is keeping me from putting out chapters as quickly as I want to. Also, I took some allegry medicine beore editing this chapter so if there are errors, my bad.

Raleigh woke up when the sun peeked through his window blinds. He felt around for Mako but she wasn’t in bed. A few seconds later he heard her walking in the hallway, then she heard the door open and close. She climbed back in bed and laid on her side.

“Good morning.”

“Five more minutes.”

He yawned and stretched, cracking one eye open. Mako looked beautiful in the sunlight, smiling at him. She leaned over him and poked one cheek.

“Aren’t you going to offer me breakfast?”

Raleigh yawned again and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. She fell on top of him and snuggled up close.

“What’s your order?”

“Pancakes. Lots and lots of pancakes.”

“That I can do.”

**

Raleigh used his mom’s recipe to make some pancakes for them both. Some plain, some strawberry, and some with sprinkles he found in the cabinet. Mako washed, cut and placed a whole bunch of fruit in a bowl before setting the table. Raleigh wondered for a second if this was a dream because it was just so perfect.

Before they could sit down and eat the doorbell rang. Raleigh was expecting his mom to be back that day but she would have simply walked in. When he opened the door, Marshall Pentecost was standing there.

“Sir-“

“I was foolish in trying to keep Mako away. I’m sure she doesn’t want to see me just yet.”

He handed Raleigh Mako’s purse and a duffel bag.

“I packed some of her clothes in there and other necessities. I’ll be out on work for a week starting two days from now if she wants to be at the house while I’m not there. Take care of my girl Becket.”

Raleigh just nodded and Pentecost left. He closed the door and headed back to the kitchen where Mako was waiting for him.

“Your dad brings gifts, says he’ll be outta the house on business soon.”

He set the stuff on an empty chair, sitting down beside her. Mako looked at the bags, a look of confusion and relief. Pentecost probably didn’t ever give up this easily.

“I suppose I’ll talk to him once he returns. For now, let’s eat.”

“I’m sorry that I caused a rift between you two. I didn’t mean to.”

“Oh, no Raleigh. I told you this isn’t your fault,” Mako took his hand and gave him a sweet smile. “He would have found something else to focus on if it wasn’t for you. School, a job in the future, anything. He still thinks of me as a little girl. But, it’s time for him to let me grow up. I love him and I know that he loves me. We’ll be fine.”

Raleigh took a breath and kissed her hand. That was quite a weight off his shoulder and he happily started eating. Mako loved the pancakes and they ate up everything.

**

After breakfast, Mako showered while Raleigh cleaned up. She insisted that they’d start running again the next day, but for now, they’d take a little break. After he finished cleaning, he laid out on the couch, tv playing old cartoons.

Raleigh made sure to text his mother and fill her in on the situation. She was fine with Mako staying around and informed him that she’d be home later that day.

Once Mako came back downstairs in leggings and a flowy tank top. Raleigh moved so she could sit, but she decided to sit on his lap. Raleigh wasn’t complaining, wrapping his arms around her middle and holding her tight.

“I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come outside with me.”

“I don’t know what I would have done if you had left before I got outside.”

Mako wrapped her arms around him, letting Raleigh lean down and press his lips to her neck. He loved how well they fit together. Like there was really someone in the world that he was so compatible with.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do once you start school,” Raleigh confessed, his words tickling her skin. She shuddered and giggled, sinking her fingers into his hair.

“We have all summer, we don’t have to think about that right now.” It was true that once Mako started school she probably wouldn’t have much free time. True Raleigh would be taking classes too, but with online courses, he had a little more freedom with his schedule. But he knew that they would figure out time for each other.

Mako smelled like the lemon body wash that Raleigh used, and her skin was still damp. Raleigh kissed at her neck, pulling her closer. One of her hands still playing with his hair while the other trailed down to his arm, squeezing his bicep. Raleigh leaned up to steal a kiss and she returned it. It was slow, sweet, and absolutely magical for Raleigh.

_I think I’m in love._

**

They decided to go out for lunch, getting sandwiches from a food truck and eating in the park.

“You know, there’s a place a few hours away that lets you pick peaches in the summer. Got some of the best fruit I’ve ever tried. Maybe we can go soon.”

Mako sighed, resting her head on his shoulders.

“That sounds so wonderful Raleigh. I’d love to go.”

They talked about possible day trips and dates that would be perfect for the summer, including the zoo and the ice cream festival. Mako was so excited, being new to the state and city. Raleigh felt like he was giving his old memories a new life.

After eating their food they got some shaved ice and took a walk through the park. There were a couple of vendors there, selling handmade jewelry and trinkets. Mako fell in love with a table full of beaded bracelets, so Raleigh bought her a few. She returned the favor by buying him a braided necklace with an “R” pendant.

When they got back into his car Raleigh kissed her, tasting the sweet cherry flavor on her lips.

**

They went to the grocery store after the park, picking up some things to make dinner for Raleigh’s mom. Raleigh pushed the shopping cart while Mako stood on the bar on the bottom, between his arms as he pushed. It made navigating a little hard but it was worth it to have her so close to him. While he pushed around the store she reached out and grabbed what they need.

“Does your mom prefer orange sauce or sesame sauce?”

“Definitely orange. I use this stuff as a base, then add my own little spin.”

“Okay, Master Chef.”

They grabbed the ingredients for orange chicken and fried rice as well as some pre-made cream cheese wontons just because they were his mom’s favorite.

“You should have seen the meals my mom used to make us back in the day. Yancy and me could eat enough for a small village, especially when we were teenagers.”

Mako grabbed for fruit for in the morning, Raleigh holding her so she wouldn’t fall over.

“Just like Jake. I only ate a lot while I was playing sports, or in the summer.”

After they filled their cart with various food, drinks, and snacks they made their way back to the front. It was a local place, so there were just a few people working there, some that Raleigh knew from school or working at the bakery. One girl at the counter, he recognized her from high school, noticed him and waved him over to her register.

“Raleigh, it’s so good to see you! How’s your mom?”

“Hey Mary, she’s doing good, what about you?” Raleigh and Mako started unloading the cart and she started to ring them up.

“I’m good, starting college again in the summer, finally!”

“Hey, good for you!”

“And who’s this pretty girl?” Mary gave Mako a smile and she returned it, shaking her hand.

“This is Mako, my girlfriend.”

“Oh my gosh! You two are sooo cute!”

“Thank you!” They both said, and Mako blushed a little. Raleigh put the bagged groceries in the cart while Mary talked to Mako more. They were both going to university and would be taking similar classes.

“Oh, I almost forgot. We’re making a summer softball league, you should join us, Mako!”

“Oh wow, it’s been so long since I’ve played.” Even though she was hesitant Mako looked excited at the idea.

“Sounds like fun, I can be your cheerleader.” Raleigh encouraged here, so she and Mary shared contact info.

“And Raleigh, if you’re interested my boyfriend is part of the baseball league.”

“Yeah? Maybe I’ll join, keep myself busy.”

They bid Mary goodbye and headed back to the car. While they loaded everything up, Raleigh noticed that Mako was daydreaming.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Just about how nice it would be to see you in baseball pants.”

Raleigh side eyed her but Mako just grinned and got into the car.

“Head out of the gutter young Lady, let’s go home.”

**

They were halfway through cooking when Raleigh’s mom arrived. She greeted them both with joy and helped Mako set the table. Raleigh could hear them chatting from the kitchen.

“Mrs. Becket, I really appreciate you allowing me to stay here.”

“Oh please honey, call me Dominique! I trust Raleigh, and if he wants you here then who am I to say no. He absolutely adores you.”

“I feel the same.”

Raleigh brought in the food, and both women chuckled when he asked them what they were going on about. Raleigh pulled his mom’s seat out and they all sat down to eat. She went on about her business trip and how she was excited to open up the bakery again tomorrow.

Mako told her about the summer softball and baseball team, and Raleigh’s mom was so excited.

“Oh, I remember baseball season when the boys were little. I have so many pictures, I’ll show you after dinner.”

Raleigh didn’t even try to protest. His mom loved looking through her photo albums and at the photos on the wall. Mako happily agreed and they went off to look as Raleigh insisted on cleaning up after dinner.

“Oh my god, they were so cute!”

“My beautiful boys. Anywhere that you found Yancy, you’d find Raleigh too. He wanted to be just like his big brother. Lucky for me Yancy was a good influence on him.”

There was a photo of Yancy in high school and Raleigh in junior high, wearing their baseball uniforms. Dominique lovingly traced Yancy’s image, sighing happily.

“Just like their father. I was blessed with such wonderful men in my life.”

“Me too.” Mako scooted closer to her, and Dominique hugged her close to her side. The two most important ladies in Raleigh’s life really liked each other, and that made him so happy.

**

After they got ready for bed, they lounged on Raleigh’s bed. Mako was still looking through photo albums while Raleigh scrolled through his phone.

“You really like looking through those old photos.”

“It’s like looking into little pieces of your past. I like getting to know you like this.”

“Wish you could have met Yance. He loved taking pictures just like mom and dad.”

Mako was silent for a while, flipping through pages.

“I met him once.”

Raleigh sat up, tilting his head.

“Really?”

Mako nodded, moving to sit in Raleigh’s lap.

“I was twelve I think… My father was busy at the academy, so I went for a walk. There a really thick forest not too far away that my father never let me go to, but I was curious. I walked for a while until I realized I was lost.”

Raleigh pulled her close, feeling her start to shake.

“I tried to retrace my steps but just ended up getting more lost. I remembered that my father said there were bears, snakes and a bunch of other dangerous things. I could even hear them. I was so terrified, I just sat there and cried.” Mako sniffle, but Raleigh kept comforting her.

“Just as the sun went down, I heard someone calling. I screamed and he found me. I had never met him before but even now I can remember him clearly.” She pointed to a picture of Yancy in his air force uniform.

“He didn’t even hesitate, just picked me up and carried me through the trees. I was crying so hard I couldn’t even tell him my name. He was so kind, hushing me and telling me that everything would be okay.”

Mako was crying a little, and Raleigh wiped her tears away. He was moments away from crying himself.

“He just kept talking to me, telling me about his mom and his awesome little brother.” She chuckled and kissed his cheek. “He got me back home safe, and that was the last time I ever saw him. I wasn’t until I was getting ready for bed that I realized that I lost my red shoe.”

“I didn’t even realize you were the little brother until I saw his picture in your bakery. Talk about fate, huh?’

Raleigh took a deep breath and sighed, resting his head on Mako’s shoulder. For a moment, he couldn’t believe it.

“I want to show you something.”

**

Raleigh led her to the next door over, holding her hand tight. He hadn’t been in Yancy’s room in three years. His mom went in every few weeks to clean it and think about her eldest son. He took another breath and turned the doorknob.

Walking in was like a shot to the chest. Yancy’s room was just like he left it. His bed was made, with a stuffed dog sitting on top of the pillows. A few model planes hung up from the ceiling. His desk was perfectly tidy, with pictures like the ones on Raleigh’s. His bookshelf still held trinkets and toys. But none more important than the little red shoe sitting at the top.

Mako gasped when she saw it, walking over and picking it up.

“When Yancy came home for break he brought that with him. I kept bugging him about it until he told me.”

They sat down on the bed, the little shoe in Mako’s lap.

“Yancy told me that he had been rethinking a lot of things. He was…really depressed during that time. I mean, neither of us had ever been away from home that long. So he went to the woods, trying to figure out what the hell he wanted to do.”

Raleigh took her hand.

“Then he said he heard crying, and he found a little girl alone and scared. He said that, at that moment, he knew that he wanted to help people. That getting people home and safe was the most important thing. He found the shoe on his way back to the academy, said he kept it to remind himself.”

Mako was crying now, burying her face in his chest.

“You saved him. And you saved me.”

Fate has a funny way of working things out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will be working on a new chapter soon, hope to have it out in a week! Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mako is heading for orientation, and Raleigh just wants her by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm back! Thanks for your patience and please enjoy this!

**_A Few Days Later_ **

 

Mako and her father had lunch together before he left on his work trip. Raleigh didn’t ask for the details, but Mako look happy and relieved when she returned to his place. Raleigh and his mom had been in and out of the house with work and Mako quickly made herself at home. Once he came home from work, he usually brought them something to snack on while they worked on school stuff or watched movies. Later they would make dinner and eat with Raleigh’s mom. After Stacker left on business they started to rotate. One day Mako would stay with Raleigh, the next he would stay with her. Once Pentecost returned it was mostly Mako going over during the day and them talking over the phone late into the night. Raleigh had to admit that he had already grown used to sleeping next to Mako, but hearing her voice was good too.

Their relationship only grew stronger as the days and weeks went by. Raleigh had never put much thought into finding his soulmate, but Mako was just so perfect for him. It’s like they read each other’s minds half the time. When she was away, even when she was just one house away, he missed her so much. And Mako let him know that she felt the same way all the time.

Raleigh decided against joining the baseball team (game times were during work) but went with Mako happily as she signed up for the softball team. He drove her to the closest athletic store and bought her all the clothes and accessories that she would need as well. He insisted on driving her to practice too, and he might have been just a little jealous when he realized that the baseball boys practiced so closely with the softball girls.

“You don’t have to be jealous Raleigh; I don’t like any of those other boys.” Mako insisted one day when he was driving her home.

“Me, jealous? I don’t think so.” He scoffed but she just rolled her eyes at him, a silent ‘yeah, sure’ on her face.

“I just think those guys should focus more on batting than on flirting with y’all. It’s really unprofessional.”

“Oh, is that so? I’ll make sure to pass on your wisdom, Coach.”

He pulled into his driveway and she gave him a kiss.

“I’ll just shower and be over for dinner, okay?”

“I’ll count the seconds that we’re apart.”

She laughed and exited the car, saying something about him being the cheesiest guy on the planet. Raleigh promised that he could get cheesier. 

* * *

 

After dinner, Raleigh took Mako out for a drive in his mom’s truck. It was a perfect evening for cruising around with the windows down and the radio low. The night air ran gently over their faces and their hair. Mako leaning in close, a hand gentle and cool on his neck. They didn’t really have a destination until Raleigh noticed that the drive-in movies were about to start. Mako happily agreed when he suggested, and they headed that way.

 

Raleigh got the tickets and backed up into a decent parking spot.  He fiddled with the radio then went to get some snacks. Thankfully for them, Raleigh’s mom kept blankets in the back so Mako made a comfy space on the bed of the truck. Raleigh came back with popcorn, candy, a coke for her and a hard cider for him. He climbed into the bed of the truck, laid out the snacks and cuddled with Mako as the movie started. It was a good action comedy film, but Raleigh was mostly concerned with the pretty girl in his lap. He kept an arm around her waist, fingers stroking the thin band of exposed skin between her shirt and shorts.

Mako seemed to be actually watching (and enjoying) the movie. They munched on snacks and cuddled close. She finished her coke quickly and reached over for his drink. He pulled it out of her reach, tsking at her.

“Ah, ah, ah young lady, I don’t think so.” He whispered it, playfully keeping it from her. She scoffed and kept reaching for it.

“Oh my gosh. I just want a sip.”

“Just a sip? That’s how it all starts.”

Mako kissed him, deep and sweet, to catch him off guard and swipe the bottle from his hands. After they parted she took a nice long drink, finishing off the cider. Raleigh couldn’t help but laugh, kissing her again when she finished. They fell back onto the blankets and kissed and cuddled until the movie was over.

It was late by the time Raleigh drove them back to his home, so they just changed into their pajamas and relaxed in his room. Raleigh felt so content, so happy, so wonderful that he couldn’t even put it into words. 

* * *

 

**_One Month Later_ **

Raleigh was in Mako’s room, helping her pack. She was heading to the university for university and would be gone for a week. It was a requirement for incoming freshmen to stay on campus during orientation. It wasn’t like the university was far away, but it would still be weird to not have her around all day. But Raleigh wasn’t about to make her feel bad for doing something for school. Instead, he’d help her cram every last outfit into her too small suitcase.

“What are you going to do without me?” Mako placed the very last piece of clothing in and sat on top of the suitcase so Raleigh could zip it up.

“Absolutely nothing. Well, maybe a little bit of work.” He closed it up, leaning over into Mako’s space to kiss her forehead.

“Maybe the girls will let you be a substitute in the game I’ll miss.”

“Ha ha ha, very funny. I wouldn’t fit in the uniform.” Raleigh let her wrap her arms and legs around him, pulling him down on the bed.

“We’ve spent almost every day together since we met. What am I gonna do without you to make me breakfast?”

“I knew it, you only want me for my cooking.” Raleigh joked, and they both laughed. They were so comfy wrapped up in each other. They opted to stay like that until their stomachs began to protest. Raleigh offered to make her dinner before she left early the next day. The couple made the short trip to Raleigh’s house and he whipped up some turkey burgers, fries, and brownies for dessert.

After they ate their fill they relaxed in Raleigh’s room. Raleigh was sitting in his chair, laptop sitting on his legs, while Mako sat on top of his desk, scrolling on her phone. They often fell into a comfortable silence and enjoyed just being close to each other. Even though Raleigh was supposed to be finishing registering for classes, he couldn’t help but look at Mako every other second. She was wearing one of his old shirts, tied in the back and with the sleeves rolled up, along with a pleated skirt and ankle socks. She was laughing at some joke she read, and Raleigh was starstruck.

_God, she’s so effortlessly pretty. I’m one lucky guy._

“What are you looking at, Raleigh Becket?”

He closed his laptop and set it down, letting his hand caress her leg.

“I love you, Mako Mori.”

She stared him down, a mix of shock and excitement on her face. Raleigh was about to say ‘you don’t have to say it back’ when he got a lapful of Mako. She kissed him hard and long before leaning back and looking him in the eyes.

“And I love you. Always.”

“When you get back, I’m never letting go of you.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that.”  

* * *

 

They made sure to get up and go for a run before Mako left, and said their sweet goodbyes before Raleigh headed to work. He had insisted on taking on some more hours to stay busy and to save up more on the side. Summer was wedding season, so it was cakes, cakes, and more cakes.

Raleigh’s mother was already knee deep in frosting by the time he made it to work, so he helped her finish off one of their bigger cakes before starting on the treats for the shop. Today’s menu was gooey lemon bars, mini key lime pies, and southern tea cakes with lavender-lemon glaze. He was at it for a few hours straight, filling up the case. There was a steady stream of customers coming to get their favorite sweets and drinks. It was a nice, hot summer day and Raleigh was happy to stay in the air-conditioned kitchen until it was time for a break. He stayed close by for lunch, getting a pasta salad from a local restaurant and checking his phone. Mako had sent him a few messages, including pictures of the dorm she would be staying in. The campus itself was really nice, and it was all decked out to welcome incoming students.

**Raleigh: Looks like fun! Don’t forget about the little people, college girl.**

**Mako: Ha Ha, very funny. How’s work?**

**Raleigh: Good, super busy. Taking lunch before I help mom with more wedding cakes. Call you tonight?**

**Mako: Of course, love you!**

**Raleigh: Love you more!**

After his lunch was gone, he headed back to the bakery. His mom was smoothing the icing down on another massive cake while two other bakers tried to stack the tier on top evenly. Raleigh helped her create the frosting flowers and airbrush the cake a light rose gold. It was set in their walk-in freezer to solidify before being delivered to a happy couple. They started cleaning up after the last cake, scrubbing the place from top to bottom before closing the kitchen. The front would be open for a couple more hours, but Raleigh’s work was done. He went straight home, made a sandwich, and started on his school stuff. He had registered for his classes and made the down payment for his tuition; his classes would start in a couple of weeks. He was glad to still be working towards his degree. After he dropped out of the academy, he lost his will to do anything at all. But it had gotten so much better in the recent past that Raleigh truly felt proud of himself. He was getting through it, and he just wanted to tell his 18-year-old self that it was going to get better. He just hoped that Yancy was proud of him too. 

* * *

 

When he called her that night, Mako told Raleigh all about her first day of orientation. She met some other engineering majors and signed up for the Female Engineer Association. It was fun, if not a little cheesy thanks to the orientation leaders. Raleigh listened carefully and was glad that she was having a good time. He told her about his day and promised to make her a full tray of lemon bars whenever she returned. They kept it short and said their I love you’s and goodbyes.

Raleigh would have liked to talk to her all hours of the day but was worried about becoming too clingy. He didn’t want to be the boyfriend that needed to know where his girl was every hour of the day and kept her all to himself. He wanted her to enjoy her orientation, not worry about him back home. He fell asleep early that night and had sweet dreams about a happy future with the woman he loved.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have my whole heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short and sweet one for you. I think this story is winding down, and I will soon be starting a new AU. Tell me what you would like to see in the next one!

Raleigh kept his promise and went on his run every morning. It was weird not having Mako running beside him, but he was already finding running the two miles easier. He had also been going to the gym every other day, lifting weights and sparring with a couple of friends he had made in the past few works.

Work stayed busy and his mornings and afternoons were full of flour, sugar, and frosting. He mostly stayed in the kitchen, but he could hear the hustle and bustle from the front as customer after customer came in. Raleigh knew that his mother was so excited about how packed they were. He remembered that when she first started the bakery they were lucky to get a handful of customers a day. Now, she was actually thinking of a second location in the next town over to keep up with people’s sweet tooth.

Mako sent him texts and pictures of her university and he responded whenever he got the chance. It was mostly about funny things her dormmates did, the food they were serving, and the occasional picture of a squirrel stealing said food.

Raleigh missed her, but he had to admit that this distance was a good thing. Since they got together, they had been connected at the hip. It was the nicest feeling but Raleigh knew that it wasn’t always healthy. They needed to be able to be their own people and do what they had to do. Mako was going to be at school more often and Raleigh had his own work to do. But Raleigh meant it when he said he loved Mako. She was so important to him and he knew she felt the same. He was confident that no matter how much distance there was between them, they would always find their way back into each other’s arms.

*

It was Friday evening in the blink of an eye. The bakery was a half-hour from closing and the rush of customers were finally gone. Raleigh was in the back, deep cleaning the kitchen so it’d be ready for the closed days. He almost didn’t hear when one of the front girls came up to him and told him that there was someone in the front for him. He figured another customer wanted a ridiculous cake to be done, so he washed his hands and headed up to the front.

Mako was looking adorable in a black tank top and white shorts, with one of Raleigh’s flannel shirts wrapped around her waist.

“You’re home early.” Raleigh was quick to slip out from behind the counter and let her jump right into his arms. The girls behind the counter ooed and awed before giving them some privacy. Mako kissed him and he could taste the marshmallow lip gloss when he kissed her back.

“Didn’t want to wait till Saturday.” She giggled and he put her back on the ground just to hug her again.

“I missed you. I’m almost done, wait for me? I’ll take you to dinner.”

She nodded and they kissed one more time before Raleigh headed to the back. The girls offered to help so he would get done quickly and he gladly accepted. They got the place cleaned up in record time and Mako and Raleigh were out the door before the sun went down.

They decided to grab Italian to go and took it back to Raleigh’s house. They sat at the kitchen table, Raleigh in a chair and Mako in his lap. She told him about all the extra stuff that happened during orientation, including how Chuck had basically got on his knees to apologize to her.

“I told him that I would only forgive him if he apologized to you. What he said and did was way out of line.”

Raleigh was glad that Chuck had actually apologized, even if he didn’t like the kid all that much. Since he and Mako would be going to school together it would be in his best interest to be at least friendly with her.

“If he actually apologizes to you, then I’ll know that he’s genuine. You don’t have to accept, of course.”

“I don’t?” Raleigh looked up at her curiously.

“He said some awful things about you and your brother, I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t accept it.”

“Well, you’re right about that. But honestly, after talking to his dad I think the kid was just hurting. So, if he does apologize to me, I’ll accept it.”

“Wow, you’re so wise.” Mako smiled and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him. Raleigh chuckled, telling her that she tasted like chicken alfredo.

**

They still ran together every morning. Raleigh could actually keep up with Mako. He was proud of himself for actually getting in shape.

Raleigh continued to work long hours at the bakery, helping his mom with the weight on her shoulders from dealing with a business. It gave him less time with Mako, but the extra spending money was nice for their dates.

Mako would visit him on his lunch break, bringing him new goodies to try from in town or something she made at home. She made Raleigh’s day, and all the girls in the bakery thought they were the cutest couple in town.

**

“Once you start school, who’s going to keep me company at lunch?” Raleigh mumbled, holding Mako in his arms. They were sitting in his bed, while he worked on some online coursework. He was only teasing of course, but he was really going to miss their extra time together.

Mako hummed, looking up from the engineering book she was reading to grin at her boyfriend.

“We’ll facetime, duh.”

“Look at you, college girl.” Raleigh chuckled, hugging her close to his chest. He loved phones sometimes.

“Besides, we will still have the weekends. I’ll make sure you don’t miss me too much.”

Mako cupped his face, her hands feeling cool on his warmed skin. He leaned into her touch and closed his eyes. He felt so comfortable in her hold and she was relaxed in his.

“I love you Raleigh.”

“And I love you Mako.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Tell me what you think and send me some ideas!

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think! This might seem really OOC right now but I'm working on it! New chapter up in a couple days!


End file.
